The Holy Prophet has been quoted by Sheikh Qunduzi (a Hanafite scholar) to say...

The Holy Prophet has been quoted by Sheikh Qunduzi (a Hanafite scholar) to say: مَعْرِفَةَ آل مُحَمًّدٍ بَرَاءَةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَحُبُّ آل مُحَمَّدٍّ جَوَازٌ عَلى اصَرَاطِ، وَالوِلأيةٌ لآل مُحَمَّدٍ أمَانٌ مِنَ العَذَابِ. Getting to know the family of Muhammad (S) is means for being saved from the fire.

Love for the family of Muhammad (S) will ease crossing the sirat as well as, give immunity from chastisement.[^2] When we come to know about in the Holy Quran and the traditions, we open the gate to prosperity in this world and the hereafter and shut the gate of perdition. Sheikh Sulayman Qunduzi and Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Juwayni, two outstanding fair-minded Sunni scholars have quoted that the Holy Prophet (S) has said about Imam Ali (a.s.) and the Imams following him, يَا عَلِىُّ!

أنا مَدِىنةٌّ العلمِ و اَنٌتَ باَبٌهَا، وَلنْ تٌؤْتَي المَديِنَةَ إلأ مِن قِبَلِ اَلبَابِ، وَكَذِبَ مِنْ زَعَمَ أنَّهُ يُحِبُّنِي وَىُبْغِضُكَ، لأِنَّكَ مِنَّيِ وَأنَا مِنْككَ. لَحْمُكَ لَحْمِي، و دَمُكَ مِنْ دَمِي، وَرُوحِكَ مِنْ رُوحِي، وسَرِيرَتُكَ مِنْ سَرِيرَتِي، وعَلانِيَتُكَ مِنْ عَلانِيَتِي، و رَبِحَ مَنْ تَولأكَ وَ خَسِرَ مَنْ عَادَاكَ، وَفَازَ مَنْ لَزِمَكَ وَهَلَكَ مَنْ فَارَقَكَ.

مَثَلُكَ وَمَثَلُ الأئِمَّةِ مِنْ وُلدِكَ بَعْدِي مَثَلُ سَفِينَةِ نُوحٍ ؛ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ. وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ النئُّجُمِ، كُلَّمَا غَابَ نَجْمٌ طَلَعَ نَجَمٌ أِليي ىَومِ القِيَامَةِ. O Ali, I am the city of knowledge and you are the gate thereof. The city cannot be entered except through its gate. The one who is thinking he loves me but has enmity towards you is false in loving me, for you are of me and I am of you.

Your flesh is my flesh, your blood is my blood, your spirit is my spirit, your inward is my inward, and your outward is my outward. (You are the leader of my ummah (community), you are the caliph after me.) Whoever loves you, will gain; whoever is your enemy, will suffer losses; whoever accompanies you, will find salvation; whoever is separated from you, will go to ruin. The parable of you and the Imams following you is the parable of Noah’s Ark.

Whoever enters it, will find salvation and whoever disobeys will drown. The parable of is the parable of stars.

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